WORKFLOWS FOR DRUPAL 8: CONTENT, REVISIONS, AND MODERATION

19 Mar 2022

Сoffee and tea boost your physical performance. Our article will boost your brain. Today we talk about the Workflows and Content Moderation modules.
Dries Buytaert and Drupal developers worldwide are increasingly focusing on improving Drupal 8 and 9 content workflow. It looks like you have wondered more than once how to improve the content moderation workflow in Drupal 8, 9.
The Golems team is here to answer all the questions you've had over the years related to WORKFLOWS FOR DRUPAL 8 and 9. Please fasten your seat belts, we're getting started.

Introducing: Drupal content moderation workflow

Constant creation and updating of content are some conditions for a successful website. Content creation allows you to promote your site in search engines. However, the more content you put on your site, the more difficult it is to create, edit, and manage them. By default, the Drupal content management system has two content statuses: Published or Unpublished. It also has a permission system for individual roles to edit content. But, the standard set of options won't be enough if you're serious about content creation. Debug content moderation Drupal 8 workflows are an excellent solution for those who work with content.

What is a publication workflow? Why would you need one?

The Drupal publishing workflow is organizing the creation, modification, and publication of content on a site by different team members. It is important to note that this process has many stages involving other people.
This process involves:

  • writers
  • SEO specialists
  • designers
  • editors
  • translators
  • those who publish and share content

Subject-matter experts and technical specialists are also involved in the publication workflow. They check the content for accuracy, correctness, and relevance. Each role in a workflow has specific permissions. In addition, there is a certain logic in how content can change and move from one stage to another or vice versa.
For example, a content creator wrote a blog and submitted it to the editor for review. The editor found inaccuracies and returned the blog to the content creator for correction. After the author changed it, they sent the blog back to the editor, who sent it to the SEO specialists, and so on.

Why create publication workflows in Drupal 8 and 9?

  • to create only accurate, truthful and exciting content
  • to clearly distinguish between permissions and roles
  • to avoid publishing sensitive or not yet ready material
  • to ease communication between team members
  • to prevent interruptions in content creation

Managing Editorial Workflows with the Workflows and Content Moderation modules

The content marketing team should always focus on something more complex and powerful than the usual tools. Try to combine the Workflows and Content Moderation modules. The Content Moderation module works in conjunction with the Workflows module to easily create and manage an editorial Drupal workflow using various states and transitions.

The Workflows module overview

"The Drupal 8 Workflows module allows you to manage workflow with states and transitions."
The Workflows allows creating multiple workflows with a set of transitions between them. It defines a set of states and changes, which are then attached to the content by the Content Moderation module.
"States" is the current state of the content. For example, it can be: draft, unpublished, published, archived. "Transitions" is moving content from one state to another.

Content Moderation module overview

"The Content Moderation module allows you to expand on Drupal's "unpublished" and "published" states for content."
This module sets up various states and transitions for content workflows. In addition, it also gives you the ability to create and customize different editorial roles for individual members of your team.

What can you do with the Content moderation and Workflows modules?

By installing and connecting these two Drupal workflow modules, you will be able to:

  1. Create content states
    The cooperation of the above modules gives you the power to add the desired states to your workflow. There are only three states by default: Draft, Published, and Archived. However, if this is not enough for you, you can easily add others, such as Ready for Review, Draft or Needs Work, and so on.
  2. Manage drafts for live content
    The Workflow and Content Moderation modules improve working with unpublished drafts of already published content on the Drupal site. This is convenient because it allows you to work with content directly in the admin panel and keep it in draft form. Without this option, you would also have to use Word or other tools.
  3. Set different roles for those who work with content
    Various content roles are a must in the content moderation workflow unless you want the chaos, of course. By setting up different roles with different permissions, you can avoid confusing content workflow. In addition to the traditional roles: Editors and Writers, you can add others such as Publisher, Reviewer, etc.

3 сontributed modules to expand Content Moderation and Workflows

We offer you bonus information on Drupal 8 comment moderation and content moderation in Drupal 8. This is a brief overview of additional modules for the Drupal workflow.
Moderation Dashboard
The Moderation Dashboard module provides each user with an individual dashboard for convenient Drupal content moderation. It was last updated in October 2021. This works with Drupal 8 and 9.
Content Moderation Notifications
The Content Moderation Notifications module informs users via email that content has moved from one state to another. For example, it moved from a draft to a publication, etc. It was last updated in April 2020. This works with Drupal 8 and 9.
Moderation Sidebar
The Moderation Sidebar module adds an off-screen menu for quick and easy moderation of the current Entity. It was last updated in May 2021. This works with Drupal 8 and 9.

How to Create and Manage a Content Workflow in Drupal

To fully benefit from working with content moderation modules in Drupal, you must go to Drupal core.

  • In the admin panel, click Expand and navigate to the list of core modules.
  • Among the entire list, select "Content Moderation" and activate it.
  • Open the "Configuration" page and click the "Workflow" tab.
  • Then go to the "Workflows" page.
  • Congratulation, now you get the default "Editorial workflow."

Note: If you are interested in something more powerful and complex than the usual workflow, then keep reading.

How to Customize Drupal Content Publishing Workflow

The content publishing workflow can be customized without writing your custom code and involving a large team of developers. Sounds intriguing, isn't it?
Follow the instructions to complicate and customize the Drupal 8 content moderation workflow.
First step
Go to the main Workflow page and click "Add a new state."
Second step
Add more workflow states, such as "Needs Review" or any other available.
Third step
Adjust your transitions to new states. If you added "Needs Review," there should be a "Move to Needs Review" transition.
Fourth step
Apply this extended workflow, in our case "Needs Review," to a content type or custom block type.

You also can create separate content publishing workflows with independent states and transitions to delimit them. For example, you can create different workflows for publishing, press releases, and blog posts. It's very convenient.

Quick Tips

  • name transitions in your workflow with short and clear verbs
  • let editors modify and undo transitions as needed

Сontent moderation in Drupal: benefits for those who publish content on many platforms

If you publish your blogs on many platforms, then you can't do without custom content workflow.
Let's simulate the situation. You have created a blog, and it has been published on your Drupal site. Then, you submit a request to post this blog on several other platforms. Next, you wait for this content to pass review and receive permission or refusal to publish.
And this is where the same custom workflow comes in handy if you want to extend this. One option is to write the Workflow Type plugin. You can customize the workflow to suit your specific needs—for example, order steps in a manufacturing process or all entities to change their workflow states.

Do you really need an Editorial Workflow?

Maybe you don't need content, Drupal 8 revisions, and moderation workflows? This is a rhetorical question.
You need to set up a workflow for your content if:

  • your content team consists of several people
  • each moderator has a different role
  • multiple people posting content on your site
  • you want to upload quality content that has passed several checks

Create Drupal 8 and 9 content workflow for your company to succeed!

The content on your site is king. The more people involved in a content marketing strategy, the better it will be and the greater the return. Setting up a publishing workflow will save time for you and your team. However, valuable content requires a well-functioning Drupal 8 and 9 content workflow.
Above, our team has tried to explain the entire content moderation workflow as clearly and concisely as possible. Re-read this blog if you run into any issues, or visit the Drupal web services page for help from our professionals. Do you want to add something to this information? You are welcome! Do it in the comment below.